This invention relates generally to a garment and garment bag hangers, and in particular to an extensible and retractable garment bag hanger assembly to be mounted, for example, adjacent a projecting corner of a wall or on the top or bottom of a solid or ventilated shelf.
Presently, hanging rod kits are available for mounting a hanging rod on a wall by boring a hole in the wall to slidably receive the rod which may be selectively extended from and retracted into the bored hole. Other hanging rods are available which are capable of being mounted on a wall without having to bore a hole in the wall for receiving the rod, such as the valet rods that are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,015,918 and 1,132,190. However, the valet rods shown in these two patents, along with other prior valet rods known in the art, have many exposed components (e.g., a rod) which decreases the overall aesthetic appearance of a room or closet. Also, because these valet rods have many exposed components, they are more difficult to install and manufacture.
My own U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,905 discloses an extensible and retractable hanger assembly which is used in conjunction with modular closet organizers and is incorporated herein by reference. The hanger assembly set forth in my '905 patent is preferably mounted to a vertical wall of a closet organizer formed with a plurality of holes. My prior invention consists of two main parts, namely a hanger rod with a hook at one end that opens upwardly and a mounting sleeve with flanges extending continuously along its edges. The mounting sleeve slidably receives the rod and prohibits rotation of the rod within the sleeve. When the mounting sleeve is secured to a vertical wall, the rod is disposed between the mounting sleeve and the vertical wall. While this design is effective when used in conjunction with a modular closet organizer and in other environments, it cannot be mounted as effectively to a dry wall surface, for example, since the hanger assembly may not provide adequate structural support. Furthermore, my previously disclosed hanger assembly can be mounted in only one position in order to enable the hook to open upwardly for mounting on a dry wall surface or to the top or bottom side of a shelf.